Time for a Change

How about a haircut?

This is me with long hair....

More long hair... a little lighter

This is me with short hair about two years ago

A little blury but you get the idea, also about 2 years ago.
And I think I'll cut it. At least this short- but with a bit more creativity. I think this lil bob is a bit boring but I like the length.

I might even have the guts to do it like this. This is my cousin McKinley and her daughter Sophia.

I'd like your opinion.

Long or Short?

Keep in mind that I'll still cut it... no later than spring (gotta let the bangs grow out a bit), but I'd like to hear what you think. i think I look better with shorter hair because my face is so long.

SPARK Them Tastebuds

My dear comrade Suzanne a.k.a Scuz, is a talented interior designer and I would like to show you something she had a hand in. The pictures on Your Heart Out don't show much of the interiors but believe you me this place is GREAT!! SPARK is a contemporary restaurant and lounge. They offer great non-alcoholic drinks so those of us who don't drink alcohol can have a choice beyond Diet Coke or Sprite (though they offer those too- I've never had a soda there). The food is BEAUTIFUL as well as DEE-LISH! I've been there twice now and tried something new each time except for the Bacon & Eggs Ice Cream (don't knock till ya try it! It's not what you think. You'll LOVE it). I've been blown away at the perfect presentation, the proportions, the creativity of food pairings, the service- everything.

SPARK is totally worth the drive to Provo for a date night with your sweetie. You'll see the young owner Blake (a Napoleon Dynamite look alike), there chatting with guests and glad handing VIPs. Please check it out, you won't be disappointed.

A Role Model?

I might ruffle some feathers with this one but I've just got to get it out.

I think Bella Swan is pathetic! Ahhh... OK, there I said it.

I don't think she's a good roll model for the thousands and thousands of young girls who are reading these books. I've read all 4 books and I like them for the most part; they were entertaining and creative. But I wish Bella Swan would have had a bit more confidence in herself. I wouldn't want my young impressionable daughter (if I had one) to read about a character that was constantly belittling herself. She should have been able to take a compliment, been more gracious when others gave her gifts and realized the blessing it was to have someone that loved her etc.

I suppose there had to be some sort of contrast between the Edward and Bella, but I wish that Bella could have had a stonger more "girls, you can go out and do anything, love anyone and be the best, I'm worth it!!" kind of personality so that the myriad of young (and adult) women that read these books don't get caught up in thinking that they have to be the damsel in distress.

We are great women with A LOT to offer and we need to believe it!

That's all.

It's Settled Then...

I love The Killers. I really do- a LOT! The only trouble was deciding where to go see them in concert, New York, Seattle or Denver. Dave and I thought about it, the tickets are cheaper in Denver and we could drive but it'd be snowy or we could drive to Seattle and stay at his parents but it's 13 hours in the car or we could just fly to New York. Duh! NYC baby, of course! Dave (my friend who loves The Killers as much as I do, maybe more because he understands music better than I) are going to fly to NYC in January to see The Killers play at Madison Square Garden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know, I know... I just went to Boston (and haven't even put pics up yet), but BUT it's THE KILLERS!!!! And NEW YORK. Two of my most favorite things in the world together for one night only.

Oh, how I wish I could express the excitement and thrill this gives me!

A Lesson Learned- Again.

I have a small problem. Namely, impatience. Once I decide to do something- a project/craft, move apts., try a new recipe etc. I want to do it right now and I usually get my way. I try to disguise it as being "motivated" or "determined" but mostly it's impatience. This time I really wanted- no NEEDED a hair trim, way over due. Oh yeah, you can see where this is going. It seems that the time I suffer most from this so called determination is when I decide that it's time to get a hair cut or color. Now, you know at the end of your hair appt. when they say "would you like to schedule your next appt. now?" I always say "No thanks, I'll just call". I do that because I have a hard time signing myself up right away for spending another exorbitant amount of money on such a created "need". It's painful to watch that much money come out of my checking account so you'll usually see me with a serious need to get my roots done. 40 bucks for a trim? A TRIM!!! and $75 for a partial weave... like 10 foils. Choke! And I know I don't even have it that bad. But eventually the "need" out weighs my checking account balance and I decide to get my hair done. But the problem is that to get into a good stylist it takes a week or two and since I forfeited my scheduling perk from the last appt. I'm left with few other options.

Ok, back to the lesson.

I had a blind date coming up on Friday last week. Immediately the "need" bubbled up and took center stage demanding my full attention right away. "I have to get my hair trimmed, I just have to before the date. My hair is so blah right now, I want to look nice for the date." These are the thoughts running in my head on Wednesday afternoon. Fortunately the one girl I trust implicitly to do the job is finally back in town but unfortunately she just didn't have time till this week.

So what did I do?

Yep, I took matters into my own hands. (keep reading it's good) With regular ol' construction paper cuttin' scissors in one hand and a fine toothed comb in the other I started the job to trim my own bangs... or fringe as I hear it's called these days.

La dee dah, I'm good at this. This isn't so hard, I've done it before and walked away satisfied. Not too bad... maybe a little more over here? Oh, that might have been too much, maybe they're too angled so I'll fix that on this side. Hmmm... OH NO!!! Too much! Too short! They won't lay down, I'll just get a smaller round brush tomorrow and they'll be ok. Oh man.

The next day with a new little round brush: Spent the whole day with my new fringe tucked up in a bobby pin and couldn't wait to get home and try the brush, this was going to work, it'll be just fine. I'll curl the rest of my hair for the date and no one will be the wiser. NOPE. I tried the round brush but it wasn't working right. I was on the phone (mistake # whatever in the long line of mistakes I made about my hair last week) talking to Ashley trying to fix my fix from the day before and ended up screwing it up even more.

Lesson learned:
#1: Don't get too excited about trimming your own bangs.
#2: Even if you've done it before don't think that you can be "brave" and take more off- baby steps, baby steps.
#3: Do not talk on the phone while attempting self hair cut- or at least put the dang phone on speaker so that you're not trying to hold the thing with your shoulder.

In the end I bobby pinned them up for my date. The bangs did have a small redeeming factor because telling that story to my date and showing him my tragic bangs was a hit and we laughed and laughed. Here's hoping he calls!!

The Need to Post

Hello friends. I feel the need to just exhale, aaahahhhhaaahhhhhh. There is always so much floating around in my head and I rarely get the chance to make concrete thoughts of it all. So, here is an attempt to get some of them (mostly wants and wishes) out and make some space up there.

I would like more time. I would love to have only one job so that I would have time to paint, sew, build, decorate, run, cook, read, relax, play, and spend QT with friends. I get frustrated when I don't have a creative outlet or don't get a chance to work out. Having two jobs makes having those kinds of outlets a rarity. I want to be at home all day making all my wild hair ideas into reality. But supporting myself is a worthwhile endeavor so, work two jobs I must.

I would like to be more aware of the people in my life. I have this friend and she's very good at remembering people, what they like, things they mention they love which she will make a mental note of and buy them sometime in the future just because or for a celebration. She remembers birthdays, she sends cards, she emails, she talks and listens, she does her Visiting Teaching happily, and is a pleaser. Hailey is a very busy person and still gets it all done. I'm going to make an effort to follow suit and put the drawer full of stationary and note cards to good use.

I would like a new job. Period.

I would like to be more organized. Being organized is something you're born with- I'm sure of it. My big sis, Ivy, has been organized from the moment she was born- well at least from the moment I was born. As long as I've known her I have seen her bedroom messy one time. ONE time people! Seriously? I mean even her underware drawer is organized, row by row, the socks, bras and undies are all laid out in perfect order. I don't even mate my socks. What's the point? You're just going to un-mate them so why bother?

I would like to find my black boots.

I would like to live downtown again. I've got a SWEET deal livin' with the gramps but I miss my friends and don't like the 15 minute commute to work. Blah!

I am thrilled about the snow. I really do like it when it snows. That first big storm really changes your world over night. I like change. I love it. When it's snowy outstide that means time to pull out the A&E verson of Pride and Prejucice and settle in for 6 hours of Jane Austin bah-liss!!

I still love my new car. The excitement still hasn't worn off and I'm glad. The thrill of having something reliable is still going strong.

I can't wait for the holidays. I love this time of year as most of us do and have high hopes for a great season. For the last several years I've been working through much of these two glorious months to enjoy it properly and this year will be no different with plans to work on Thanksgiving to make the big bucks with all the die hard footballers watching on the big screen at Iggy's. But the excitement and magic this time of year brings still gets me.

I would love to throw a fabulous holiday party. You know the kind where everyone comes dressed in velvet and satin and suits and fancy shoes and has place cards at their seat. Where there is great music in the background and everyone has a date they're enamored with. I would love to throw a party like that!